Locomotive-tire gage.



No.778, 411. PATENTED DEG.2'7,1904.

I J. GUINN & P. H. ANDES. Y

' LOGOMOTIVE TIRE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4-, 1903 2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

d j J c Vl z'inesses. I I fnvenzors.

UNITED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. GUINN AND FRANK H. ANDES, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

LOCOMOTIVE-TJIRE GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,411, dated December 27, 1904.

! Application filed December 4:, 19Q3. Serial No. 183,761.

and useful Improvements in Locomotive-Tire Gages, of which the following is a specification.

ment for ascertaining without calculation both the thickness anddepth of wear of a worn tire. Other objects are to make the gage of such form that it may be folded for convenient car-- riage in the pocket and to make a construction simple and easily handled, light yet durable, inexpensive to manufacture, perfectly accurate, and well adapted to the use for which it is designed.

To the accomplishment of these objects and such others as may hereinafter appear the invention consists of a tire-gage embodying the combinations of elements and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described,'and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, showing the preferred embodiment thereof, and in which Figure 1 shows an elevational view of the gage as applied to a worn tire for the purpose of ascertaining its thickness. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the gage. Fig. 8 shows an enlarged sectional detail of the joint between the two arms of the gage, taken upon line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows an elevational view of the gage as applied to the same worn tire as shown in Fig. l for the purposeof ascertaining the wear, and Fig. 5 shows the gage with its two armsfolded for convenience of carriage in the pocket.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the stock of the gage, and B a profile and surface-contact blade suitably attached thereto in such manner that it may be folded-in upon stock A from its normal position at right angles thereto. To thisend the surface of one end of stock A is suitably grooved, as shown by Fig. 3, forming a shoulder cl, located at right angles transversely across said stock,

and also a tongue 6, parallel to said shoulder,

having one straight and one tapered or slanting face, the latter on the side toward the said shoulder. In the profile-blade B is formed a longitudinally-arranged slot 7', one edge of which is beveled in such manner as to receive snugly the tongue 23. Stock A and blade B are securely clamped together, but in such manner that a pivotal movement between themmay be had when desired by means of a headed bolt 0, provided with athumb or tightening nut 0. It is readily seen that by this arrangement the profile-blade B is held with its edge cl, which bears against the shoulder 03, at perfect right angles to the edges of stock A, while at the same time allowing a lateral adjustment across stock A throughoutthe length of slot 1'.

Beyond one end of slot blade B is formed with an offset 0, provided with a contactfinger 2', the location of which with reference to stock A. will be hereinafter explained.

The edge B of blade B is cut to forma profile-gage for flanged tires, and to this end is curved at 0" in such manner as to correctly fit the. curvature of an unworn flange. To detect deformities in the outline of a flanged tire, the blade B is inverted from the position shown in the drawings and the curve 0 placed upon the flange Gr, when the amount of wear is easily seen by inspection.

The stock A is provided with a longitudinal slot Z, on one side of which is a scale formed of suitable graduations g, .which may be as fine as is thought desirable, those in the drawings being thirty-seconds of an inch. The zero-point of this scaleis located in the followingmanner: Through the end of contact-finger z'of blade B when the same is clamped in position at right angles to stock A a line is drawn parallel to edge OZ, and where this line crosses stock A the zero-mark is placed. It is thereforeseen that whenthe stock A and blade B are clamped in position at right angles to each other the zero-mark of scale 9 and the end of contact-finger o' are in a line also at right angles to stock A.

Constructed to slide in slot Z of stock A are headed bolts 6 and 6, each provided with thumb or lock nuts, under which are clamped pointer, forming a part of it and movable with it, is a second graduated scale It, (here shown as divided into thirty-seconds of an inch, but which may obviously be graduated as fine as is found desirable.) This scale it is in length equal to the distance from the Zeromark of scale g to the edge cl of the blade B, and its Zero-mark is at the end farthest from the pointer p, to which it is attached. (See Fig. 5.) Pointer p is mounted to have a movement over scale it, and, as noted, both pointers have a free movement throughout the length of slot Z, pointer 1) always carrying scale h with it, while scale g remains stationary. The stock A is recessed at 00 w for the purpose of clearing any burs that may be formed upon the edge of tire Gr, as shown at f.

In using the gage for measuring the least thickness of a worn tire, more particularly a locomotive-tire, the same is applied as shown by Fig. l. The edge of stock A, bearing the scale g, is placed against the side of tire G and blade B is adjusted so that the end of contact-finger z thereof touches the lowest part of the worn face of the tire. Pointer p is then moved along its scale into line with the edge of the under face of tire G and is there locked securely in position. As the end of finger a is constructed to be in line with the zero-mark of scale 9, the thickness of the worn tirelindicated by m) can be read directly from said scale. As here illustrated by Fig. 1, this thickness is two and one-half inches. Now in order to measure the depth of wear of the same tire the gage is manipulated as follows: Stock A is moved to the end of slot 1' nearest oifset 0, and edge (Z of blade B is applied to the tire G, as shown by Fig. 4, the edge of stock A, on which moves scale h, being placed against the side of the tire. Edge d of blade B is now in contact with the unworn part of the tread, and to measure the depth of wear (indicated by n in the drawings) it is only necessary to move pointer 12 along scale It until it is in line with the edge of the under face of tire G. The pointer 19, carrying the scale it, having already been set for the thickness m, the depth of wear a can be read directly from scale It. This is possible for the following reasons: When edge d is brought in contact with the unworn portion of the tire-tread and pointer p has been adjusted in line with the edge of the under face of tire G, the distance between the two pointers p and 19 shows the distance that the zeromark of scale g has been moved below the lowest point of the worn face lately in contact with finger z', and therefore as the length of scale it is the same as the distance from Zero of scale g to edge d necessarily the remaining portion of scale it other than that between the pointers equals distance a. As here illustrated by Fig. 4:, this wear is seven thirtyseconds of an inch. After the above manipulations have been gone through with both the thickness and the wear of the tire under consideration are indicated on their respective scalesnamely, g and /1,by the pointers and p and may easily be read and properly recorded.

To fold the gage for carrying in the pocket, as shown'by Fig. 5, locking-nut e is withdrawn sufficiently to allow blade B to be turned over the top of tongue 2f, when it is brought in line with stock A and again secured by ti ghtening the locking-nut.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to one form of construction, it is obvious that many and various changes and modifications may be made and still fall within its scope and spirit; but

What we do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tire-gage, the combination with an arm suitably graduated, of a second arm mounted thereon having an edge disposed at right angles thereto, and a surface-contact finger on said edge terminating in a line parallel thereto, said line passing through the Zero-mark of said graduation, substantially as described.

2. In a tire-gage, the combination with an arm suitably graduated, of a second arm mounted thereon having an edge disposed at right angles thereto, a surface-contact linger on said edge terminating in a line parallel thereto, said line passing through the zeromark of said graduation, and a flanged-tire profile-gage on the opposite edge, substantially as described.

3. In a tire-gage, the combination with an arm suitably graduated, of a second arm adjustably mounted thereon having an edge disposed at right angles" thereto, and a surfacecontact finger on said edge terminating in a line parallel thereto, said line passing through the Zero-mark of said graduation substantial ly as described.

4. In a tire-gage, the combination with an arm, of a plurality of pointers carried thereby each eooperating with a scale, a second arm mounted on said first arm having an edge disposed at right angles thereto, and a surfacecontact finger on said edge terminating in a line parallel thereto, said line passing through the zero-mark of one of said scales, substantially as described.

5. In a tire-gage, the combination with an arm, of two pointers carried thereby, respectively cooperating with a movable and a stationary scale, a second arm mounted on said first arm having an edge disposed at right angles thereto, and a surface-contact linger on said edge terminating in a line parallel thereto, said line passing through the zero-mark of said stationary scale, substantially as described.

6. In a tire-gage, the combination with a suitable stock, of a plurality of movable pointers carried thereby each cooperating with a,

said stock at right angles thereto, substantially as described.

9. In a tire-gage, the combination with a 7 suitable stock provided with a'slot and a scale adjacent thereto, a pointer for said scale .hav-.

ingaseoond scale mounted thereon and mounted to have a movement 1n sald slot, a second pointer for said second scale, and-a surfacecontact blade mounted on said stock at right angles thereto, substantially as described.

10. In a tire-gage, the combinationwithan arm provided with a slot, of two pointers mounted to have a movement therein each cooperating with a scale, a second arm mounted on said first arm having an edge disposed at right angles thereto, and a surface-contact finger on said edge terminating in a line parallel thereto, said line passing through the zero-mark of said scales, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in'the presence of two witnesses.

' JNO. B. GUINN.

FRANK H. ANDES. Witnesses:

R. H. GUINN, I

W. MURPHY. 

